Steve Stricker overcame an early stumble and a late charge from Britain’s Luke Donald to win the Northern Trust Open on Sunday and wrest the world No. 2 ranking from fellow American Phil Mickelson.
Stricker, who blew chances to win last year’s tournament when he bogeyed his last hole to go into a losing playoff against Mickelson, shot a one-under 70 for a 16-under total of 268 to finish two strokes above Donald.
The win, Stricker’s eighth tour victory, gave the American a US$1.15 million winner’s check and a chance to shoot for the top ranking in the absence of Tiger Woods, who has taken an indefinite break from the tour in the wake of revelations about his marital infidelities.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Stricker had to return to the course early on Sunday to finish his third round, which had been suspended because of bad light. He had a five-stroke lead with four holes remaining and extended it to six going into the final round.
Although the lead looked insurmountable, Stricker stumbled early on and Donald, who has posted top 10 finishes in the past two years here, took advantage.
The Briton two-putted from 28 feet for birdie on the par-five first hole and then made an 11-footer on the third to cut the lead to four.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Stricker missed a five-foot putt to save par on the following hole and Donald reduced the lead to two when he made a six-foot birdie on the fifth.
Stricker rallied, however, with a run of birdies starting on the eighth. He drained a nine-foot birdie on the ninth and extended his lead to three after a 12-foot birdie on the 11th.
Dustin Johnson, who finished a stroke behind Donald with fellow American J.B. Holmes, also threatened with a run of four birdies in five holes but Stricker held on for victory.
The American missed a gettable birdie on the 17th last year before his final hole meltdown led to a galling loss to Mickelson.
Having struggled off the tee and on the fairway, Stricker’s putting and short game saved him when he appeared on the verge of being overhauled. The American bogeyed the 12th, but ground out six consecutive pars to close out the win.
He had 104 putts to finish first for the tournament and tied for first in sand saves.
■DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC
REUTERS, DUBAI
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez defeated European No. 1 Lee Westwood in a playoff to win the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday.
Jimenez, 46, won the event at the third extra hole on the Emirates course after he and Briton Westwood had ended regulation play with closing round scores of 72 for 11-under-par totals.
The Spaniard looked on as Westwood, who was competing in the final pairing, two-putted the last green in regulation play from 60-foot for a birdie to tie with his Ryder Cup colleague.
Both players parred the 18th hole twice in the playoff before the encounter switched to the ninth, where Jimenez two-putted for par and Westwood carded a bogey.
Jimenez has captured nine of his 16 European Tour victories since turning 40. The win made amends for two second place finishes in Dubai and was Jimenez’s first success since 2008.
Westwood’s only consolation for second place was that he moved from 17th to fifth on the Race to Dubai money list.
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